Thorns FC select four players in the 2017 NWSL College Draft

LOS ANGELES – Portland Thorns FC selected midfielder Rachel Hill in the second round (No. 14 overall) from the University of Connecticut, forward Savannah Jordan from the University of Florida in the second round (No. 18 overall), forward Tyler Lussi from Princeton University in the third round (No. 21 overall) and midfielder Caroline Flynn from the University of Nebraska in the fourth round (No. 40 overall) during the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft held at the JW Marriott in Los Angeles, Calif.

Hill, 21, was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy and named to the NSCAA All-America second team in 2016 during her senior season at the University of Connecticut. A four-year starter for the Huskies, Hill recorded 61 goals and 18 assists in 89 games played (89 starts).

The Rollinsford, N.H., native helped UConn claim the 2016 American Athletic Conference Championship after scoring the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Southern Methodist University. Hill was a four-time first-team American Athletic Conference selection and also garnered NSCAA All-America first-team honors and was a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy in 2015. At the international level, Hill was called to the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team for the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she came on as a sub in a 1-0 victory over Brazil in group play.

Jordan, 21, was selected after Portland traded the No. 20 and No. 27 overall picks in exchange for the North Carolina Courage’s No. 18 overall pick. A four-year starter at Florida, Jordan tallied 81 goals and 27 assists in 94 games played (93 starts).

The Fayetteville, Ga., native was the first player in program history to earn four NSCAA All-America honors, as she claimed first-team honors in 2015 and second-team honors in 2016, 2014 and 2013. Jordan was the second player in program history behind Abby Wambach to earn four consecutive All-SEC first-team honors. She claimed the 2015 and 2013 SEC Offensive Player of the Year awards, becoming the first freshman in SEC history to claim the award. Internationally, Jordan has featured for the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team and was part of the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team that participated in the 2014 U-20 Women’s World Cup, where she played in three matches.

Lussi, 21, was selected after Thorns FC traded a second and third-round pick in the 2018 NWSL Draft in exchange for the No. 21 overall pick from the Chicago Red Stars. She was a four-year starter at Princeton University, where she became the program’s all-time leader in goals scored (53) and points (122), while recording 16 assists in 68 games played (63 starts). In 2016, the Lutherville, Md., native garnered NSCAA All-America third-team honors, while she was named to the NSCAA All-America second team in 2015. Lussi was named the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2014 and claimed All-Ivy League honors four times, including three first-team recognitions. At the international level, Lussi was recently called into the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team training camp.

Flynn, 22, played four seasons at the University of Nebraska, where she recorded 11 goals and seven assists in 78 games played (78 starts). The Lincoln, Neb., native was named to the All-Big Ten second team in 2016 and was a CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American. Additionally, Flynn was a member of the 2016 U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team during the summer before her senior season.